I have just started collecting GB stamps and would appreciate some advice / pointers on how to collected without needing to spend to much $$$.

I have decided to focus on stamps ONLY. I do like sheets and presentation packs but getting them is proving to be expensive these days, therefore I will only get these 2 if the designs are exceptionally nice.

Theme wise, I like architecture/buildings/castles and railways; will ocassionally pick up tech or aeroplane types; not much of an animal/insects/plants collector.

For recent issues - I think Royal Mail web site is best. I have signed up/registered and planning to start buying on the QE2 Silver Jubilee stuff.

For older issues - any advice on this? I did check out gbstamps.co.uk. I have been buying thru eBay but gbstamps is much cheaper. Any other better ones?

Also, for supplies I am planning to buy Lighthouse stuff in bulk from the US. I went to Steven Tan's a few times and they seem to be out of stock for the past 2 months. Do you guys practice group buy here? We can all but in bulk and save on shipment.

I think when you said the GB stamps are expensive, this is true due to the stamp denomination and currency exchange rate. Apart from that, I personally don't think GB stamps would appreciate much. In fact, many eBay sellers are selling GB stamps at a price just a bit above the face value. For FDCs, mind you, many could be obtained below face value. If you are checking up eBay (ebay.co.uk), you should know the situation.

For new issues, you may just order directly from Royal Mail, as what you are doing....

From my experience at the stampfairs, English speaking countries stamps eg GB, Australia, NZ and USA have always been popular with Malaysian collectors. Not everybody collects Malaysian stamps. Afterall, I can easily get Malaysian stamps BELOW FV even today, so that applies everywhere if you are talking about investment.

But most collectors of these areas always mention that they find the designs better and that what was attracted them in the first place. GB is special in that there are a lot of thematic collectors who ONLY collect the royalty, whether it is QE2, or the late Princess Diana and Queen Mother, and now Prince William. And some do NOT collect those issued by other countries. So they limit their collection to stamps, MS, FDCs, presentation packs, commemorative coins, coin-fdc and what have you but only about royalty and ONLY from GB.

For me, there is sentimental value in collecting stamps, they bring back many childhood memories (sign of getting old?!)

Having said that I am by nature a very detailed person and pay attention to the "finer things", stamp is one of the things I appreciate. The other one is bank notes, time pieces but not so much on coins beacuse it is heavy and hard to carry around although I still have my collection from my younger days. FYI my old stamp collection were chewed up by termites.

Now whether it is an investment or not, it is debatable. One of the factors to consider, besides design, uniqueness, occasion (commemorative), is whether the value will hold (at least) for the coming years. For example the recent BNM 4th Series Bank Note stamps is worth collecting (my opinion) but not the rest.

Why? Because I may "trade up" these stamps should I change my mind or to increase my collection variety. I would usually get 2 sets of each (i focus on mint stamps only, the presentation packs etc will just add to my cost!), the first one I keep and the other to "trade up" in exchange for another different set later on; be it and exchange from another collector or just selling it to raise some $$$ to buy another set that I happen to like. After all, I am have been putting in my hard earned money into this newly resurrected hobby and it is no small amount ..... just don't tell my wife!

For me, there is sentimental value in collecting stamps, they bring back many childhood memories (sign of getting old?!)

Now whether it is an investment or not, it is debatable. One of the factors to consider, besides design, uniqueness, occasion (commemorative), is whether the value will hold (at least) for the coming years.

Why? Because I may "trade up" these stamps should I change my mind or to increase my collection variety.

After all, I am have been putting in my hard earned money into this newly resurrected hobby and it is no small amount ..... just don't tell my wife!

Orion, you will fall under the category of "general" collectors - just like the majority of us. We go into some details but not so detailed. We buy with a view that we hope the stamps will at least hold its value altho this has to be balanced with our love of any particular stamps even if it is worthless later on. I mentioned many times before that stamp collectors must also sell their stamps so that we can buy more stamps. Otherwise it is money going one-way OUT only. I had also made a distinction between those who buy stamps purely for profit. If they have info that a particular issue is in short supply they will hoard to make money.

Another thing - get your wife interested in stamps. She has to understand why you collect.